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Social contacts, unemployment, and experienced well-being: evidence from time-use data

Author

Listed:
  • Thi Truong An Hoang

    (Otto-Von-Guericke-University Magdeburg)

  • Andreas Knabe

    (Otto-Von-Guericke-University Magdeburg)

Abstract

We analyze how differences in the frequency and intensity of social contacts contribute to the experienced well-being of employed and unemployed individuals. In the UK Time-Use Survey, we observe that people generally enjoy being with others more than being alone. The unemployed tend to feel worse than the employed when engaging in the same kind of activities, partly because they are more often alone. The unemployed cannot spend time with other people at work but spend slightly more time with private contacts than the employed. In terms of experienced well-being, the slight increase in time spent with family and friends (which people enjoy a lot) offsets the loss of work contacts (which people generally enjoy only a little). Hence, we do not find that the differences in the social-contact composition between the employed and the unemployed are associated with differences in their experienced well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Thi Truong An Hoang & Andreas Knabe, 2025. "Social contacts, unemployment, and experienced well-being: evidence from time-use data," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 1-28, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:38:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s00148-025-01083-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-025-01083-6
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment; Happiness; Experienced well-being; Time use; Social contact;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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